Posted
by
CmdrTaco
on Wednesday April 28, 2010 @12:07PM
from the so-that's-what-sailor-moon-does dept.

separsons writes "On May 18th, Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch Ikaros, a fuel-free spacecraft that relies completely on solar power. The spacecraft's 46-foot-wide sails are thinner than a human hair and lined with thin-film solar panels. After a rocket brings the craft to space, mission controllers on the ground will steer Ikaros by adjusting the sails' angles, ensuring optimal radiation is hitting the solar cells. If the mission proves successful, the $16M spacecraft will be the first solar sail-powered craft to enter deep space."

It's always seemed like a bad idea to name anything after a figure whose claim to fame was that he ignored warnings against exceeding the tolerances of his vehicle, causing it to break up and kill him.

In the case it or one of its successors are launched to another solar system, i suggest that it carry scaled down versions of the ninja turtles, so if some come back to this mote in god's eye will never figure how we really are.

Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Climate Change, Wars, Plaques, vanishing bees and the possibility that George Lucas might make another movie? All of these are signs that the 4 Horseman are saddling up and getting ready for a ride.

So "away" is good enough for me.

Hopefully to a planet that was not colonized by the Golgafrincham B Ark.

They have a flashlight mounted under the solar sail to provide the becessary light when they get too far from the sun. That's why they need the solar panels, to provide power to the flashlight when it's too dark for the sail to work otherwise, which also powers the solar cells.

Reminds me of the shock I experienced when I found that one of the biggest brand of condoms in the US is called 'Trojan'. It can either refer to the people of Troy that got totally pwned or to the Trojan Horse from which the guys got out once they were inside...